Tasting Note:  Each spring Bachelder releases a batch of single vineyard gamays from various sub-appellations in Niagara. I tasted this on release in April 2026 where it was a favourite among the whole range. So, I looked at it again in September and notched it up two points. It pours notably pale, a trait I have noticed in other gamays and pinots from this appellation. The nose is quite lifted and so complex with strawberry-cherry, redcurrant, peppermint, subtle stemmy character, pretty rose florals and cinnamon spice. There is more weight and texture than the colour and 12% alcohol suggest. Almost a sense of gloss with lively acidity, very modest tannin, and very fine minerality on the finish. The length is excellent to outstanding. Very cohesive, elegant gamay that is fine to enjoy now, but should grace the table into the early 2030s. Chill lightly.

Backgrounder: From vines planted in 1981 by Italian grape-grower Frank Di Paola, this is from one of the oldest gamay vineyards in Canada. In 2015 it was sold to Jackson and Amy Bai Xu, who have created their own winery Byland Estate on the site. The three-acre gamay plot sits on a mix of old lake bottom soils consisting of clay, loam, silt, sand and limestone, and is farmed using organic fertilizers. As stated on the label it was fermented with 30% whole cluster to had structure. As with all Bachelder reds it was fermented with wild yeasts in neutral barrels and aged up to 16 months therein. This will improve over the next two years at a minimum. this was fermented with 30% of the grapes whole cluster to add structure.